Frills 'n' Spills

Wednesday, 10 January 2018

2017 was another strange year for me, it was busy but a lot of fun too. The biggest thing I did was starting my new job back in April and as a result, the rest of the year just flew by. I have missed blogging but every year I seem to end up writing less and less blog posts. Katy has written much more eloquently about this but I guess life just gets in the way sometimes! I'm really looking forward to 2018 (we finally booked our big trip to New York City and Washington DC, eek!) and although I can't promise to be back blogging regularly, I will share snippets here and over on Instagram as and when I feel the urge.

Tuesday, 17 October 2017

Little white dresses are always my go to in the summer; sunshine just calls for something light and breezy and this pretty broderie anglaise dress from Warehouse fitted the bill perfectly! I love the oversized sleeves (re-reading Anne of Green Gables has definitely reignited my appreciation for puffed sleeves!) and it is so light to wear. Paired with my beloved coral shoes and bag, it's perfect for these last few sunny days before we slip fully into Autumn!

Dress: Warehouse, tights:Tesco, shoes: Clarks, bag: Clarks

I don't look very impressed but I promise I wasn't feeling as miserable as I look here! Someone needs to tell my face to cheer up! 😂 This Max Factor lipstick (Bewitching Coral) is one of my favourites and the bright pinky-coral matched my shoes and bag perfectly, I love it when a plan comes together...

I have been trying to use more of my accessories recently and this teeny bag is more practical than you might first think. I can't carry the kitchen sink around like I usually would but actually that's no bad thing, I always lug far too much stuff around with me!

I did worry that this dress was a little bit short as I have been conscious of wearing clothes that are too young for me but I'm hoping I can get away with mini hemlines for a little while longer yet?!

Tuesday, 12 September 2017

If there's one thing you can count on, it's the fact that summer will be a bit of a washout. Now I prefer gloomier weather as I am always too warm but I know that I am in the minority here! 😉 Maxi skirts will always be my summer clothing of choice and this floral skirt from Topshop is a fun addition to my wardrobe. I thought pairing it with a cropped jumper would be conceding to Autumn too early so I opted for this orange silk blouse instead. I don't want to wish my life away but I can't wait for the cooler months and I imagine this skirt will get a lot of wear layered up with some cosy tights and boots!

I wasn't sure what to do with the extra length of the blouse but I think knotting it like this looks pretty neat. Fifth Avenue is the latest addition to my Essie collection and it is a lovely coral red. I'm not very good at painting my own nails but I did feel pretty darned glam in this shade! 💅

The slits in this skirt come up pretty high (I had to resist the urge to pull an Angelina Jolie!) but these chunky block heels (hopefully!) helped to tone down the revealing nature. I may try it with a cream top and trainers next, how lush would these be?!

How would you tone this skirt down? Are you counting down to Autumn like me?

Sunday, 27 August 2017

Since starting my new job, I have had to get back into the habit of wearing smarter clothes for work. Whilst I miss my more casual workwear, it has been good to challenge myself and push out of my (very literal) comfort zone. Life's too short to wear boring clothes so I have been wearing a lot of fun printed dresses (this geometric number and this blocky beauty were particular favourites) to make it a but more interesting. I have been lucky enough to find a few dresses in my favourite charity shop to add to my collection, including this beautiful printed one from Hobbs. The shape isn't one I would usually go for but the drawstring waist was able to cinch me in and it is so light to wear, making it perfect for the summer!

Dress: Hobbs via charity shop, tights:Tesco, shoes: Whistles

I love the slash neck on this and the print is really unusual, does anyone else think it looks like rain? I have been trying to be more inventive with how I style my hair and I was pretty pleased with this sleeker look, thank goodness for my GHDs!

I wear these Whistles shoes a lot and I am cautious abut wearing them out as they are just so darned comfy! Has anyone seen any interesting black blocky heels recently? I need to find an alternative to these but ideally with a pointed toe too... let me know if you have more luck than I do!

Saturday, 5 August 2017

I have always been a fan of statement jackets and when I spotted this one in Seasalt, I knew I would be taking it home with me. I love the colour teal and this print is perfect for adding a bit of interest to a pretty basic outfit. Admittedly I would usually associate Seasalt with stripes or anchors than with prints like this but it was definitely a pleasant surprise! Paired with bright lipstick and glasses, it did feel like something an art teacher might wear, I just need to figure out how to layer my necklaces...

Jacket: Seasalt, top: Gap, jeans: River Island, shoes:Whistles

Pink lipstick is always so fun to wear and I have raved about this Bourjois velvet formula many many times. You should definitely get your hands on it if you like bright shades that last all day! Statement pieces need a blank canvas to really shine and this beige top from Gap was ideal. It is a lovely soft cotton and crucially is long enough in the body for me. I can't stand tops that are short in the torso!

My lovely colleagues bought this 'M' necklace for me as part of my leaving presents when I left for my new job and it is so lovely, you can't go wrong with rose gold! I wore it on my first day at my new job and it definitely gave me a confidence boost 😊

Finding a good pair of jeans can be tricky but this River Island style is so good that I have them in black and blue! I love the fact you can get them in a shorter length and the slight stretch to the denim is super comfy too.

Sunday, 11 June 2017

BIBA is one of those brands where subtlety is in short supply. I love all of their jazzy prints and they always look so luxurious. I spotted this top in the House of Fraser sale back in March and I fell in love, the peacock print is beautiful and I love the swooshy sleeves! I have been trying to focus on quality over quantity with my clothes buying and this was an ideal candidate: it wasn't cheap but the standard is so much higher than anything I buy from H&M or Primark and I know it will still be in my wardrobe years later.

Top: BIBA (from House of Fraser), jeans: River Island, shoes:Whistles

Eyeshadow has always been out of my comfort zone but I have been trying to wear it more recently and I was pretty pleased with the result here. Paired with my favourite nude lipstick (Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips in Liv it Up) I was hot to trot! I treated myself to Liv it Up and Pink Venus when I got my new job and I absolutely love them, I will definitely be treating myself to a few more shades come next payday...

The back detail on this top is fab too, the tie allows you to adjust how wide the neckline is which I like. I always get a bit paranoid that the sleeves will keep slipping off my shoulders but this helps to keep them firmly in place. My hair has grown a lot recently and I have been able to coax it into soft waves which is fab. I have always been very low maintenance with my hair so it's nice when it cooperates!

These River Island jeans are so comfortable and due to the stretch in the denim, they stay comfy even after a large meal (which let's face it, is the whole point of going out!) I really want some new berry jeans this Autumn, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they bring some out in this style.

Saturday, 20 May 2017

Berlin is a city that both Mark and I have wanted to visit for a long time and we finally managed to make the trip. The dates coincided with our anniversary and it was the perfect way to celebrate 11 years together. Both Mark and I studied modern history up to A-level so it was great to see some of the places and history we had learnt about 'in the flesh'. We arrived on Monday morning and flew back out early on Thursday so had 3 full days in the city and it was the perfect amount of time- we had plenty of time to explore but I think any longer would have been unnecessary.

Tuesday, 9 May 2017

It is slightly boggling to me that we are nearly halfway through May and it is still cold enough to be in all of my winter jumpers and coats, by this time last year I was already well into my summer wardrobe! This jumper dress was another Whistles bargain from eBay and I love it. I always get really warm so the thin wool is perfect as it is warm without being too bulky on me. The shape of this can look fairly severe but paired with some jazzy accessories and make-up, it is more fun than you might think!

Red lipstick is always my favourite and this Revlon lipstick in Provocateur is my favourite for a glossy red lip. I tend to wear matte lipstick but have been reaching for a satin/gloss finish recently as it just seems so much more wearable for daytime!

I love navy and red together and Essie Russian Roulette is a gorgeous bright shade. I have owed this leopard print belt for years and it is looking a bit worse for wear- has anyone seen a good replacement anywhere?

I am always nervous when I wear anything with a wrap skirt so I opted for a (very attractive) nude slip underneath to preserve my modesty and I was glad I did after some rather gale-like winds...no-one needs to see that much leg! 😮

Monday, 10 April 2017

Owning cashmere is such a luxury and I feel very lucky that I have some in my wardrobe. Mark bought me this ridiculously soft sweater for Christmas and I absolutely love it! The pale grey colour is pretty classic but the shape of this jumper is decidedly modern, especially with the boxy shape and slightly higher neck. I prefer the look of it with skirts rather than jeans, mainly as it gives me a reason to dig out my jazzy skirts and fun tights!

My hair is getting so long recently and my hot brush is getting a lot of action! It is so easy to use (even if you are as clumsy as me!) and helps to give my hair a bit of a boost. Mark also treated me to the Charlotte Tilbury mini lipstick charms for Christmas and 'Very Victoria' is a gorgeous soft nude shade. (I also got Amazing Grace and Red Carpet Red which are equally gorgeous!) I was a little bit worried as I tend to go for brighter lipstick shades but this one is surprisingly flattering and wears really well. I will definitely be treating myself to a full size lipstick once I have picked out which shade to try next!

I have raved about Max Factor products a million times before and this nail varnish (shade 20 in silver FYI) is one of my favourites, I never could resist some sparkle!

Sunday, 26 March 2017

Unlike red, yellow is not a colour that I wear very often. I love it as a colour but finding a shade that flatters me is pretty tricky. I spotted this top in Warehouse a couple of months ago and I fell in love and thankfully the colour actually works on me. It is more lemon in person but it is impossible to photograph so you will just have to take my word for how nice a colour it is! Paired with my favourite skinny jeans and some shiny shoes, it was the perfect outfit for dinner and drinks.

I love wearing lipstick but eyeshadow is still a bit of a new one for me so I have been trying to push myself out of my make-up comfort zone. I always feel a bit weird wearing really heavy eye make-up when it is still light outside (yes, I know it's a strange things to be bothered by!) so I opted for a soft brown/bronze look instead. It still looked like I had made an effort but I didn't feel too overdressed walking into town, win win!

These beautiful pleated sleeves were my favourite part of this top, aren't they fun?! They are quite long though so I wouldn't advise eating messy foods with these because they will dip into absolutely everything!